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JP is barred from bench



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View GalleryA magistrate has been forced to stand down after he was sacked from his day job at Heinz over allegations of gross misconduct.
It follows an investigation into claims that batches of baby food were signed off to leave the plant without quality and content checks.

It is believed that the signatures of staff responsible for running quality checks were also questioned.

James Nicholson, 54, was employed as a supervisor at Heinz and had worked as a supervisor in the baby food section for about a year. He has worked for the company for more than a decade.

It is understood that he plans to appeal against Heinz's decision to dismiss him.

Mr Nicholson is a JP at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court, helping other magistrates in determining offenders' sentences for a range of
crimes.

A source at the Heinz factory said Mr Nicholson had faced a number of accusations but that the company decided to discipline him only in regard to quality control checks.

Heinz refused to comment other than to say that Mr Nicholson no longer works for the company.

Mr Nicholson has not sat as a magistrate at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court for the past two weeks, since the court became aware he had been suspended from work.

Now that he has been sacked he could also face being permanently
removed from his role as a magistrate.

A spokesman for Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court confirmed that Mr Nicholson was not currently sitting as a magistrate.

She said: "Whilst he is pursuing an appeal against his dismissal and until all appeal channels have been resolved he will not be sitting as a magistrate.

"At that stage there would be a conduct investigation hearing by magistrate and non-magistrate members of the Wigan and Leigh Advisory Committee, and if they feel it is appropriate, as a result of conduct issues raised by his work disciplinary hearing, they can recommend his removal as a magistrate to the Lord Chancellor."

Mr Nicholson was appointed a magistrate last August and has been sitting since January.